Switching device.



H. I. GORDON.

SWITCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1909 987,29 1. Patented Man-21,1911.

3 BHBETS-SHEET 1.

I avwentoz HOZZQRdFZTJOD;

H. I. GORDON.

Y SWITGHING DEVICE. Y APPLICATION FILED 31731126, 1909,

mm Md 2 w w u 0m mm CAN m 3 m m m u HW NN H. F. GORDON.

SWITGHING DEVICE. APPLIOATIOH FILED mm 28, 1909.

987,294. f Panama Mar.21,' 1911.

a BEEETPBH'BE'I is.

UNITED STATES PATENT one;

HOLLANDiZF. GORDON, or ooRsIoANA, TEXAS.

SWITCHING DEVICE.

Application filed June 26, 1909. Serial No. $4,535;

a manually operated mechanism by meansof which a switch can be thrown.

Another object is to provide a switch.

throwing device that can be operated from the car.

iVith these and other objects in view, the present in\-'e1'1tion consists in the combination and arrangement of partsas will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes in the specific structure. shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part of this. specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the sev-- eral views, Figure 1 shows a top view of a track section, provided with my throwing mechanism, the switch being shown as closed, Fig. 2 shows a top View disclosingthe switch as open, Fig. 8 shows an enlarged i shows a front view of a fragmentary pordetached detail of the cam head, Fig. at

tion of a street car showingthe position of v the throwing rod, Fig. 5 shows a fragmentary Portion of the upper end of one (if the throwing rods, and the detachable 'push cap as used 111 my invention, Fig. 6 shows a side elevation of one of the throw rods, Fig. 7 shows airagmentary port1on;.of the base plate and the push cap in depressed, position.

My invention is particularly adapted to be used in connection with trolley and other street cars, and in Fig. 1 the numeral 15 designates the rail, supported upon the ties 16.

The rails leading from the switch are marked 14, while the two switch points are marked 17 and 17. The ends of these switch points 17 and 17 are secured to the bridle bar 18, carrying the pivot pin 19 to which is secured the ends of the sway bar 20, this bar being held to the pivot 21 fixed Specification of Letters Patent.

23 having the-oppositely positione.

secured the base plate 34, having Patented Mai". 21

' "1 r I to one of the ties 16. At its for .tlLi lend this sway bar is prorided with the'ca y' ing ears by means of which this Cl1llflaj$6- cured to the sway bar.- ..A boltv25 pgtsses through the ears 24 to -fiX.-tl!lS'Ct1 l'l1 head to the end of the sway, bar. The cani head is in the form of a flat metal plate, haviiigoub wardly flaring edges,.so thatthe forward end of thecam head *ery much, larger than the rear portion which abuts against the forward end of the sway, bar.. The oblique edges 27 of the cam head are provided with the upwardly extending flanges. 28 so that a V-shaped groove is formed within the upper face of thlscamhead. p,

The car is equipped with a throwing mechanism so arranged that in eontaeting with the cam head, the S\m;-y1. .n-.. 'll be rocked from side,,to sideJt'o at i switch point to open and cl To theunder forward portion oi; fornr i forming a part ofa suital openings 35. Secured in allllellleii, "i base plate 34;, is a. flat sheetnhetgil' b comprising the Hat center portion 45 "i which extends obliquely upward it e side members 36 which terminate in. the curing plates 37 provided with the. bolts 38 by meansof which thisbracket is secured to the under, surface. of the car. platfo. n1. Near the forward edge the bracket portion 15.15; provided with the guide op lan -S's and positioned, obliquely to Y the "rear pt "these openings is, are thesaid side in'e'mbi Held within" the openings "35 of th'eflbase 'plate 35k and within theopeniile' "reof'the center port-ion 45 ,are two sinii mately J-shape'd throw rods, coniprfisi the major stem portions '32, -tl 1ejt'r'i1 tom portions 2Sand the upwa' lly e minor portions 30 which "are, l the n'i-ajor stem. portions 32 as stein portions 32 aiid'SO are prov bolt openings arranged to receive suitable bolts 12 which pass through openings, with in the striker head 11, each throw rod being provided with one of these striker heads.

The edges of the striker heads are rounded and these two striker heads 11 are obliquely held with their forward edges converging toward one another as clearly shown. Each throw rod 32 is provided near the upper end with a circumscribing stop collar 33 while each throw rod 30 is provided near its upper 'vided with is provided with two such throw.

with a stop collar 27. Held about these ,maJor rod portions 32 are the helical springs 36' which at their upper ends work against the stop collars 33,'so that these throw rods areheld in yielding spaced relation to one another. These rod sections 32 are of such a length, that the ends lie flush with the floor of the car, the openings 35 and 35 within the bottom of the car being somewhat larger than. the diameter of. the rod stems 32. ;T he striker headll determines the upward position of these throw rods as these striker heads contact with the lower under face'of the :bracket portion 45. Extending from the central portion brace'rod 9 having the securing ears'8 and 8 provided with suitable bolts so that these brace rods may-be secured to the under sur- .face of thel'platfotmf The car at each end I rods. In connection with these throw rods, I use a push cap comprising the tubular sleeve 39 ending above in the head 50 which is pro the corrugated surface to be firmly engaged with the foot of the operator.

The operation of my device is very sin ple. lithe sway gated bar is in the position indi in Fig. 1, and the perator decides to take and forcethe rod p g the siding l4, helwould place the sleeve of the push cap upon the throw rod to the right down onthe tension 36. The

of the throwv rod would be checked when 1 the cap 40 comes in contact with the floor of asthe car in which posit-ion the striker "will behirectlv in alinement with the head V sha ed'slot within the cam. head, as, the

. vided the stop' collars cared .to the minor rod collars contact with the upper bracket," so that these throw rods cannot be displaced.

A through t sway bar str' er head is at all times in the path of these throw rods. 'As these striker heads are obli uely positioned, as they (pass e slot within the cam head, the is act-uated to carry the switch points to their opposite positions and thus open the main track to the siding.

Y The 0 nings 35' are-of such a size that the tubu ar sleeve 39 will freely move therein. As a further check to the downward movement of the throw rods, I have pro- 27 described as seportion 30. These face of the sheu a a be the switch.

of the bracket is the downward movement desired to send the car following down the main line, the operator would depress the throw rod so as to throw the sway bar into its original position. The throw rods can only be operated by means of the push cap which as has been said is inserted within the socket surrounding the throw rods. By this-means there is no likelihood of the throw rods being accidentally depressed at any time, to improperly throw My switch throwing mechanism in no way interferes with the operating or driving.

mechanism of the car proper, and this can also be said of the switch throwing mechanism which permits the switch being thrown in addition by an ordinary switch stand mechanism.

The operating mechanisms as embodied in my invention are simple of construction, are

readily accessible so that repairs can be easily made, and are positive in their operation. The throw'rods as shown are held in yielding spaced relation, and the push capv can be readily replaced from one rod to the other. The constructiom further in no way detracts from the sightly appearanceof the vehicle.

What isclaimed is:

In combination with a pivotally held sway bar, and cam heads'secured to said bar, ,of two J-sha-p'ed throw rods secured to a car, a bracket depending from the car for guiding said throw rods and for holding the same in a vertical position, collars forming a part of the major stem portions of the throw rods, stop collars forming the ends of the short members of said throw rods, and heli' cal springs encircling the major portions of the throw rods and disposed between the collars forming a part of the same and the lower portion of the said throw rods in an elevated position,- the said stop collarsforming the ends of the bracketfor holding the short members of the throw rods thereby HOLLAND F. GORDON.

\Vitnes'ses: I

DEXTER HAmL'ron, E. L. WILKERSON'. 

